Domenico Montagnana
Venice 1686 - 1750
Domenico Montagnana arrived in Venice in around 1701 at the age of 15, shortly after Matteo Gofriller had established himself as the leading light in the emerging Venetian school. However, it seems that Montagnana apprenticed not with Goffriller but with Matteo Sellas, who later also employed Carlo Tononi and Pietro Guarneri after their arrival in 1717. Montagnana opened his own shop in 1712.
Early works show the influence of Stainer, which is common in instruments of the period, but over time Montagnana adopted a broader model with flatter archings. These more characteristically Italian instruments, especially the cellos, are exceptionally fine for solo playing. The cellos employ an innovative short and broad pattern, which clearly inspired G.B. Guadagnini's cellos from the 1740s. Their richly penetrating sound ranks them among the best cellos ever made.
